Lisa Abendroth, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business reports:
The ultimate goal is usually sales, with either blog readers becoming new customers as you indicate, or past customers becoming repeat customers. But the real question is how your blog can help nudge customers toward purchasing. In other words, what intermediate steps can your blog accomplish that will make people more likely to purchase from you?
Blogs can be used to announce new products (for example: “Just in — vintage Ferragamo heels”) or support past products (“new looks for that little black dress”), but the content needs to be both fresh and relevant so people will want to read your blog on a regular basis and, incidentally, receive repeated nudges.
Another objective your blog can serve is listening to your customers, provided you make it easy for them to comment on your posts. You should also monitor other blogs, especially those that relate to your brand or products. By listening, you can learn what’s on customers’ minds so that you can better respond to their needs and interests, which in turn keeps your content relevant.
The key is to find a balance between providing value to both your company and your customers. When you achieve that balance, integrity is rarely an issue.
